1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to sound generating toothbrushes, and in particular embodiments, to toothbrushes having sound generating devices controlled by user activated timers.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years various advancements have been made in toothbrush designs in an effort to increase brushing effectiveness and to promote better dental care. A variety of toothbrushes with audible sound generating devices have been developed to encourage better brushing practices. Some sound generating devices play musical tunes to accompany users when brushing. Other sound generating devices provide brushing instructions while the user brushes his or her teeth.
An example of a sound generating toothbrush is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,734 to Bauer ("the '734 patent"). The toothbrush described in the '734 patent has a handle 2 with an expanded central portion configured to permanently house a chip 3, a battery 4, a sound generator 5, an amplifier 6 and a capacitive or inductive switch 7. The expanded portion of the handle for housing these components is centrally located along the length of the handle 2, in a location such that a user's hand would cover (and, thus, activate) the switch 7 merely by holding the toothbrush handle in an ordinary brushing grip.
However, because toothbrushes are periodically disposed of and replaced (many dentists recommend such replacement every three to six months), the electrical components permanently housed within the handle must be suitable for such periodic disposal and replacement. In this regard, such electronic components tend to be relatively inexpensive and thus, of relatively low quality. Such low quality devices tend to produce low quality sound reproductions which can be annoying to the user and may dissuade the user from using the toothbrush. In addition, a user desiring to hold the toothbrush handle with an ordinary brushing grip has no choice but to activate the sound generator--the switch 7 is located so as to automatically activate the sound generator when the handle is held with an ordinary brushing grip. This can be annoying to those users who desire to brush from time-to-time without musical accompaniment. Furthermore, because the handle has an expanded central portion for housing the electrical components, it is not likely that the expanded handle portion will fit within a standard sized toothbrush handle slot in a standard toothbrush holder.
Other sound generating toothbrush devices have been provided with a housing containing sound generating circuitry, wherein the housing is removably attached to the end of a toothbrush handle. Examples of such are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,807 to Kreit et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,230 to Siahou and U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,086 to Fong. An example of a toothbrush device with a sound generator housing permanently attached to the end of a toothbrush handle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,037 to Brown. However, the sound generator housings described in these patents form relatively large appending members at the end of the toothbrush handle. Such housings tend to be cumbersome and obstructive, often making it difficult to grip and control the toothbrush handle. In addition, when such sound generator housings are attached to the toothbrush handles, the toothbrush may not fit in standard slot-type toothbrush holders (which typically have a shaped slot through which the toothbrush handle is inserted). In addition, some prior art devices employ sound generating equipment for generating musical tunes or recorded messages and which require relatively expensive and high quality sound generators, memory devices and speakers. Such devices typically require relatively large housings for the sound generating equipment which, as noted above, tends to result in oversized toothbrush handles which do not fit in standard slots formed in standard toothbrush holders.
Moreover, the sound generators employed in the toothbrush devices described in the above-cited patents are activated by switches located at or adjacent the location at which the devices are typically gripped during brushing. In this regard, a user is likely to inadvertently activate the sound generator when brushing. This can become annoying to users who desire not to activate the sound generator or to users who inadvertently activate the sound generator several times during a brushing session.
Thus, there is a need in the industry for a toothbrush with a sound generator that is readily activated when desired, but not easily activated inadvertently during brushing. There is also a need in the industry for such a toothbrush which can be economically disposed of and replaced. There is also a need in the industry for such a toothbrush which can be readily gripped and controlled by a user employing an ordinary toothbrushing grip. There is a further need in the industry for a toothbrush which employs an economical, relatively simple sound generating device (e.g., for generating simple sounds, such as short beeps) that requires only a small amount of space. There is also a need in the industry for such a toothbrush which is configured so as to fit within the standard shaped handle slot of typical toothbrush holders.